Hoisting device.



NORRIS. HOISTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1906.

Patented ma 2, 1911.

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A. E. NORRIS;

HOISTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 80, 1906.

. 991,078. Patented May 2-, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 21 Witnesses.

A. E. NORRIS.

HOISTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED mm 20, 1906.

' Patented May2, 1911'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

ALMON E. NORRIS, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

I-IOISTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed June 30, 1906. Serial No. 324,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it know-n that I, ALMoN E. NORRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hoisting Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings represent ing like parts.

My invention relates to hoisting devices, and more particularly to the control of hoisting buckets, and especially that class of buckets of the type known as clam shell buckets.

More particularly my invention contemplates the provision of new and improved means for controlling the opening and closing of the bucket aws in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the bucket, the complete control of the latter in the illustrated form of my invention being had in factthrough a single operating rope.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof. while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a plan view of a grab or bucket embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 8 is an enlarged view, partially broken away, of certain cooperating parts of the bucket shown in one of several relations; Fig. 4: is a similar view with the parts occupying a different relation; Fig. 5 is an end view of the latch block and associated parts occupying the position. shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the grab illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 sustained by a trolley on an inclined boom, and Fig. 7 is an elevation showing a similar grab sustained by the trolley of an overhead cableway.

For the purposes of illustrating my invention, I have shown the same applied to a clam shell bucket or grab of a usual and ordinary type, but it will be understood that my invention is broadly applicable to buckets and hoisting devices of different and quite dissimilar construction from that herein shown.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, and to the bucket which is there illustrated, the latter is provided with the bucket segments or jaws 1 and 2, to which are respectively attached the side arms 3 and a, pivotally mounted upon the transverse overhead shaft 5, about which latter the jaws are adapted to open and close as is represented in dotted line position Fig. 2. Over and above the pivot shaft 5 is a head 6, to which are secured the two sets of depending links 7 and 8, the latter passing downward and diagonally to the corners of the bucket segments 1 and 2, respectively, to which they have pivotal attachment. The pivot shaft is provided with a plurality of sheaves within the casing 9 and about these sheaves passes a single operating rope 10. From its active end, or that end engaging the winding or operating drum, the rope leads downward to the grab from above, as for example, from the idle sheave 11 (see Fig. 7), carried by the overhead cable-supported trolley 12, from which the bucket may be supported to receive its support; or from the sheave 13 (see Fig. 6) carried by the trolley 14, the latter adapted to travel along the inclined boom 15. The active strand of the rope leads downward over and about the pivot-sl1aft sheave; thence upward about one of a number of sheaves 16 suitably journaled on the head block 6; thence downward again about a pivot-shaft sheave, finally passing upward through an appropriate eye in the head 6, and terminating at the overhead trolley to which it is secured in any suitable fashion. The pivotshaft being weighted as at 17 and the bucket suspended through its head, as in Fig. 7, if the operating rope is slackened the pivot shaft lowers through the action of gravity to some such position as is represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2, causing the jaws to open. In order that the raising and lowering movements of the bucket, as well as the opening and closing movements of the jaws, may be controlled through the single operating rope shown, I have provided means which hold the aws open after having been placed in that position by suitable movement of the operating rope and maintain them open until it is subsequently desired that they should close. For this purpose there is provided herein latching means comprising a latch lever 18, which is pivoted (see Figs. 1 and 2) near the upper edge of the bucket segment 1, and the cooperating latch block 19, which is located near the upper edge of the bucket jaw 2 opposite the pivotsupport for the latch lever 18. The latch lever rests upon a part carried by the pivotshaft 5 and rises and falls with the latter, so that when the jaws are closed as in Fig. 1, the latch lever is held elevated in an inclined and inoperative position. lVhen the pivot-shaft is lowered and the jaws opened, the latch lever is lowered until it rests across the latch block with its notched portion 20 presented for engagement therewith, as represented in Fig. 4. The latch block, which is segmental in outline, is pivotally supported to have a swinging movement, being keyed or other wise secured to the rock-shaft 21 (Figs. 1, 8 and 5), the latter journaled at one end in a plate or bracket 22 and near its opposite end in a forked bracket 23, both of which are riveted to the sides of the bucket segment 2. The bracket 23 has ears 2% (Figs. 3 and 5) between which the latch block has an oscillatory movement, the latch block being partially cut away at its sides and the ears having overlapping portions, so that the movement of the block is limited in one direction by the overlapping portions of the ears and in the other by the base of the bracket itself. The latch block is normally held in its initial or inoperative position against the bracket base, 23, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position its latching face 25 is out of range of engagement with the notched portion of the latch lever, which latter, while the jaws are open rests upon the rounded hub 26 of the latch block. For maintaining the latch block normally in this position there is provided at the opposite end of the rock shaft 21 a coiled spring 27, one end of which is fastened to a rocker finger 28, the latter also secured to the rock shaft, and the opposite end to an adjusting collar 29, which may be adjusted relatively to the stationary plate 22, to adjust the torsion of the spring. The end of the rocker finger 28 (see Figs. 3 and 1) underlies the pivoted presser finger 30, the overlying end of the presser finger being provided with an adjustable contact screw 81, by means of which the relative distance between the presser finger and the rocker finger may be adjusted as described. The presser finger is pivoted or hinged upon the bracket 32 secured to the upper face or side of the bucket. The opposite end of the presser finger is jointed to the latch connecting link 33, which passes upward to one corner of an upright frame or plate 34: of generally triangular shape. This plate at its lower edge and near its middle portion, has pivotal connection with a pair of upright ears 35 extending up from the bucket head 6. The suspension plate 34 is provided near its upper corner and directly over its pivotal connection to the bucket head with a suspension pin 36 extending through and on either side of the same, through which pin the suspension frame and bucket may be supported from any suitable suspension member depending from the trolley, such for example as the suspension hook 37. The latch connecting link 33 provides between the suspension frame and the presser finger a rigid, although jointed, connection, which at its opposite end lifts the rear end of the presser finger and depresses the forward end so long as the bucket is held suspended in the fashion shown in Fig. 2. With the bucket suspended as described, therefore, if the rope is slackened and the jaws opened, the proportions and relation of the presser finger, rocker finger and latch block are such that the contact screw 31 on the presser finger engages the underlying end of the rocker finger and, as the jaws complete their opening movement, turns the rocker shaft and throws the latch block out into its operative latching position, as represented in Fig. l, where its slightly flattened latching face 25 enters the underlying notched portion of the latch lever in position to engage the cooperating latching face thereon. The notched portion of the latch lever is provided at its end opposite the active face with a portion 38, of suitable shape to engage with the hub of the latch block and limit the movement of the latter so as to prevent too great an opening movement of the aws. In this condition, with the bucket suspended and with the notched portion of the latch lever overlying the raised latch block, the latter is held raised, or in its outward position through the active pressure of the rigidly held presser finger 30. If now, the operating rope is hauled in to lift the bucket, the jaws first tend to close until the active faces of the two latching members are brought into firm engagement, when further closing movement is prevented and the grab itself will then be elevated on further winding-in of the rope. If now, the grab be elevated and disengaged from the hook or other suspending member upon the trolley, the suspension frame or block 34 being no longer held upright, topples over into a position represented in dotted lines in Fig. 4. This causes directly the depression of the connected end of the presser finger and the elevation of the contact screw 81, leaving the same in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4, where it is represented as withdrawn from the underlying end of the rocker finger 28. The latch block is then no longer held in its outer or operative position by the active pressure of the presser finger, but, since the bucket is no longer suspended through the frame 34, its weight is sustained wholly by the operating rope 10, which therefore tends, whether the bucket is being elevated or lowered, to close the jaws. This brings the two latching members into such firm engagement that the friction between their active surfaces, which are suitably shaped for this purpose, is greater than the retractile capacity of the spring and the latch block still remains to obstruct the withdrawal of the latch lever. In this condition therefore, with the jaws maintained opened through the frictional engagement of the latch block and the latch lever, the bucket may be lowered until the open jaws strike the underlying coal or other material which is being dealt with. As soon as this occurs the weight of the bucket, as the latter settles into the coal, tends to force the open jaw still farther open, relieving thereby the binding action of one latch member against the other. The latch block being relieved of the friction or binding action of the latch lever is immediately thrown by its spring 27 into its inward or inoperative position represented in Fig. 3. As soon as the bucket is sunken and the operating rope wound in, the latch lever being no longer held and the jaws being free to close they first close together and the bucket is then elevated by further windingin of the rope. In the application of this form of bucket to various hoisting systems, as well as the application of the broad principles of the invention to various hoisting devices other than the clam shell bucket described the details of the invention may be modified as desired.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the application of the bucket illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 to a trolley which is mounted upon an inclined boom. The trolley 14 is provided with a depending stop 39 which has two pairs of diverging finger-s, into engagement with which the two ends of the pin 36 come on elevation of the grab, thus acting to center or locate the pin. When the trolley is elevated against the stop block 40, it is engaged by the latch 41 and there held fixedly positioned. The rope being then slackened, the two ends of the suspension pin-36 drop into the underlying hook 42, which is fixedly secured to the boom and in the latched position of the trolley straddles the suspension plate 34. The bucket being thereupon suspended by the hook 42, the operating rope may be further slackened to open the jaws and dump the load, the latching devices then operating as described to lock and maintain the jaws locked in their opened position. With the jaws held open the rope may be wound in to lift the suspen sion pin over from the hook 42. If the rope is then slackened, the trolley descends to the foot of the incline, further slackening of the rope resulting in lowering the grab. In the meantime, the suspension frame, as soon as freed, has withdrawn the presser finger from the rocker finger, leaving the latch block free to release the latch as soon as the lowered grab strikes the coal.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the application of one form of my invention to an overhead cable-way having the trolley 12 mounted to traverse the cable 43 and having in addition to the operating rope 10 the traversing rope 44. The suspension hook or member 37 here depending from the trolley is provided with a pivoted deflecting member 45. hen the bucket is raised the pin 36 strikes againstthe curved under face 46 of the hook 37, swinging the same slightly to one side and continuing until it meets the projecting nose of the pivoted deflecting member 45. When this occurs further elevation of the grab acts to raise the deflecting member, exposing the bight of the hook into which the pin is permitted to settle as soon as the rope is slackened. "When this is effected the bucket is held suspended and ready for the opening operation as described. To release the bucket. from the hook 8'? it is merely necessary to wind in the operating rope and raise the grab. hen the pin 36 rises it swings the deflecting member upward until free of the latter, whereupon the deflecting member drops down again, covering the bight of the hook, so that on subsequent lowering of the bucket which follows, the pin does not catch in the hook.

While I have shown and described in detail one form of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited to the details of construction or form or rela tive arrangements of parts here shown, but that extensive modifications and wide deviations therefrom may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claim:

1. The combination with a trolley of a bucket provided with jaws, means for opening and closing the jaws, an operating rope for controlling said opening and closing means and also for raising and lowering said bucket, means for separately suspending the bucket during the movement of the jaws by said rope, latching means to hold the jaws opened, and means dependent on the release of the bucket from the suspension means for permitting the subsequent disengagement of the latching means.

2. In a controllin device for a grab hoist, the combination with a latch and a cooperating latching member for holding the jaws open, of means normally tending to maintain said members out of engagement, means for forcing said members into engagement on the opening of the jaws, and means for subsequently rendering said latter means inoperative.

3. The combination with a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, of a single operating rope for controlling the same, means for separately suspending the bucket to permit the lengthening of said rope when the bucket is suspended to open the jaws,

latching means for holding the jaws open,

latching means and auxiliary member to force said latching means into engagement on the opening of the aws, and means for subsequently rendering said auxiliary membor inoperative without necessary release of the aws whereby the subsequent disengagement of the latching means is permitted.

5. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, and latching means automatically controlled by the movement of the bucket, said means comprising a pivoted latch lever for holding the jaws open, and a cooperating latching member adapted to be moved into or out of engagement with said latching lever its movement being controlled by the suspension or non-suspension of the bucket by the rope.

6. A hoisting device for a bucket provided with jaws adapted to open and close, latching means for holding said jaws open comprising a movable latching member adapted to be moved into or out of engagement with a cooperating member while the jaws re main open, and a tipping suspension member for controlling said latching member and for temporarily suspending said bucket.

7. A hoisting device having a bucket provided with jaws adapted to open and close, means for holding said jaws open while the bucket is being lowered, and means operated by a separating movement of the jaws for automatically unlatching said aws when the latter strike the coal or other material to be hoisted.

S. A hoisting apparatus having a bucket provided with jaws adapted to open and close, latching means for holding said jaws open, means for forcing said latching means into engagement on opening the jaws, means subsequently to permit the disengagement of the latching means, and means for thereafter causing the disengagement thereof when the bucket jaws strike the coal or other material to be hoisted.

9. A hoisting apparatus for a bucket provided with jaws adapted to be opened and closed, an operating rope for raising and lowering the bucket, a separate suspension device whereby the jaws may be controlled by the lengthening or shortening of said operating rope while the bucket is suspended thereby, latching means tending normally to a position of disengagement, means forcing the same into engagement on the opening of the jaws, and means rendering said forcing means inoperative when the bucket is lifted by the operating rope.

10. A grab hoist having in combination the latch lever 18, latch block 19, finger 30, link 33, and suspension frame 34.

11. A grab hoist having in combination the operating rope 10, jaws 1 and 2, latch lever 20, and latch block 19.

12. A grab hoist having the block 19, spring 27, rocker finger 2S and presser tinger 30.

13. The combination with a trolley, of a bucket having jaws to open and close, an operating rope for controlling the jaws while the bucket is separately suspended, means for suspending the bucket on the trolley, a latch and a cooperating latching member adapted to be placed in cooperative engagement when the jaws are opened, means tending to force them out of engagement, said means being held inoperative during the suspension of the bucket, and means acting after the operating rope assumes the weight of the bucket to permit the disengagement of the latching members.

14:. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, an operating rope leading to said bucket and adapted while the bucket is separately suspended to control the jaws, means for separately suspending the bucket, a latch pivoted at one side of the bucket and adapted to be lowered on the opening of the jaws into a position operative for maintaining them open, a latching means also pivoted upon the bucket and adapted to be swung in or out to engage the latch lever in its lowered position, means tending to maintain it in its inoperative position, means for forcing it to its operating position on opening of the bucket jaws and there maintaining it while the bucket remains suspended, and means to render said last named means inoperative when the bucket is lifted from the suspension frame to permit the subsequent withdrawal of the latching means.

15. A hoisting and conveying apparatus comprising a trolley, a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, one or more opening or closing sheaves upon the bucket and an operating rope leading to the trolley, thence downward about the opening and closing sheave or sheaves, and thence to the trolley to which it is fastened, a suspension hook upon the trolley, a suspension frame pivotally attached to the bucket and adapted to engage the hook to sustain the bucket, said frame being adapted to tip upon the bucket when the latter is lifted by the operating rope, a latch lever pivoted at one side of the bucket and resting over the pivot shaft thereof and adapted to be lowered on the opening of the bucket jaws, a pivoted latch block on the bucket adapted to engage with said latch lever, a finger connected to the latch block, a pivoted presser finger adapted to overlie said latch block finger, a link connecting the presser finger to the suspension frame to hold the finger fixed during suspension of the grab by the frame, the block on opening of the awsbeing thrown by the engagement of the block finger with the presser finger into position to engage the latch lever and retain the jaws open, and a spring tending to throw the latch block out of engagement, the relative positions of the cooperating parts being such that the presser finger is withdrawn from the block finger when the suspension frame is freed for movement.

16. In a grab hoist, the combination with a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, automatic jaw locking member upon which the bucket may be suspended independently of the rope, and a suspension means for controlling said locking means.

17. In a grab hoist, the combination with a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, latching means to hold the jaws open, suspension means upon which the bucket may be suspended independently of the rope and means for controlling said latching means through the suspension means.

18. In a grab hoist, the combination with a bucket having segmental jaws adapted to open and close, and latching means carried at the outer segmental edges of the jaws for automatically holding the jaws open and a single operating rope for controlling the latching and unlatching of the said means.

19. In a grab hoist, the combination with a clam-shell bucket having segmental jaws adapted to open and close, latching means enaging the segmental edges of the jaws for holding the jaws open, and means automatically to release said latching means.

20. In a grab hoist, the combination with a bucket having jaws adapted to open and close, of latching means for holding the jaws open, and means automatically to re lease the same through a separating movement of the jaws.

21. A hoisting device having a bucket provided with jaws adapted to open and close, and means set in operation by the suspension of the bucket when hoisted to lock the jaws in an open position.

22. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination with a bucket and traveling bucket support, a single operating rope for the bucket, and jaw latching and unlatching means controlled by the single operating rope, said means being self-contained upon the bucket and its support.

23. In a hoisting apparatus a grab having the jaws 1 and 2, the latching member 18 and 19 to hold the jaws open.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALMON E. NORRIS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS B. BOOTH, EDITH E. CHAPMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

